From initial damage assessment to welcoming residents back into their homes,
Disaster Relief volunteers are the first on the scene and the last to leave.
Disaster Relief volunteers are the first on the scene and the last to leave.
Bringing Hope to Crisis
When you’ve seen a disaster on the news in the last 50 years, what you may not have seen is the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers who were already on the scene—and they remained long after news cameras left town. As the third-largest disaster response team in the nation, this network of state-based volunteers teams does more than just clean up; they bring the healing of Christ to those whose lives have been shattered.
Current Training Opportunities
Click here to view the available training opportunities on the Alabama State Board of Missions website. When you register, make sure you are registering for the North Jefferson Baptist Association Training. If registration is not available at the State Board website, please email the church office at info@enonbc.org.
Disaster relief teams
Disaster Relief Training
Disaster Relief volunteers must be trained and credentialed in order to serve at disaster sites. Use the information on this page to become familiar with the different Relief Teams. Don’t miss out on this important ministry opportunity to tangibly serve people in some of the darkest hours of their lives.
Cleanup/Recovery/Mudout Team
These are the “get the job done” folks who are not afraid to get dirty in order to serve their fellow man! This team is typically one of the first teams on site after the areas are labeled safe from power lines or gas lines are cleared. This involves helping families remove mud, debris, damaged furniture or demolition of drywall and removing objects to be disposed of by sanitation workers.
Chainsaw Team
These positions are trained in safety and usage of chainsaws and removal of downed trees either blocking roadways or threatening structures.
Mass Feeding Team
Typically, following any natural disaster, power, water and other daily luxuries are non-existent. Those who feel led to become a team member of the Mass Feeding Team will be responsible for preparing food, serving meals or providing nutrition for victims, relief workers, utility workers or other first responders during emergency situations.
Shower and Laundry Unit Team
Imagine how refreshing it would be after a long tiring day of working in disaster stricken area. A simple hot shower can lend new energy to those on the front lines. These units usually double as laundry units and can be altered to accommodate large groups (i.e. National Guard, Law enforcement, Red Cross workers or other volunteers) to have laundry service when deployed away from their homes.
Administration Team
Manages the paperwork for the operation including volunteer check-in, finance, and daily reporting. Admin volunteers should have organizational skills, be computer literate, and be able to handle many tasks at once. Must be able to work in an office-like environment for long periods. They also build a data base of volunteers and assist in relaying deployment opportunities and informing the pool of volunteers, thereby determining who can go and assist.
Assessment Team
Assessment teams work to determine the most immediate needs of a disaster stricken area. This group specializes in triage of each section of a city or community.
Chaplains
Providing ministry to those through presence and support while working closely with teams performing medical or rescue situations. Both men and women can participate and become trained chaplains who will provide listening to victims, working with incident command centers, deploying door to door and can even be assigned to area hospitals or other facilities to provide spiritual help.
Communications Team
Often phone lines or cell towers are damaged during storms or other natural disasters. During this time the amateur radio and two-way radios might be the only means of contacting help. These teams will work with management to provide support in mapping out hard hit areas and maintain open channels for first responders.
Children’s Response Team
This group will receive specialized training to assist children following any disasters. This is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to those who might have been displaced by storms, or be available for loss of homes due to fires or floods.
Water Purification Team
While most of the world enjoys clean, fresh water, following a disaster this luxury can be devastated. Team members connected with this entity will provide resources to effectively provide clean-safe water for survivors. This is a vital ministry especially in third-world countries or island countries.
